Envelop-fastener



No. 6|5,056. Patented Nov. 29, I898. G. E. ADAMS.

ENVELOP FASTENEB.

(Application filed July 6, 1898.) (No Model.)

me Non-1s PGERS no. Pxomuma, WASHINGYON- u. c.

NITED STATES GEORGE E. ADAMS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

ENVELOP-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 615,056, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed July 6, 1898. Serial No. 685,276- (No model.) C

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. I

This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for envelops such as are primarily designed for mailing samples of goods and which are intended to be opened for inspection and the envelop again closed against the accidental escape of the contents; and the invention has for its object to produce a simple and efficient device of this character which will close and lock the envelop against accidental opening without the necessity of bending or upsetting any of the parts of the fastening device and at the same time will permit of the envelop being readily opened by intention for inspection of the contents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an envelop having a fastening device for locking the flap in its closed position constructed in accordance with my present improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the envelop and fastening device. Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing a slight modification in the form of the holding-arms of the device. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing a round eyelet in the fiap of theenvelop. Fig. 5 is a corresponding view showing the round eyelet and the holding-arms of the cooperating device correspondingly rounded to insure a more accurate fit.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A indicates an envelop, which is usually made of heavy Manila paper and of any desired specific construction adapting it for the particular use for which it is designed, but in every instance having a closing flap or member, such as A. In carrying the invention into practice in connection with an envelop or package of this kind the fiap A is provided with an eyelet B, which is preferably metallic and may be either rectangular, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or round, as in Figs. 4 and 5. This eyelet B may be of any usual construction and is preferably, as shown, struck up from sheet metal, with the edges of the same flanged out on both sides of the flap in order to clamp the eyelet in position and prevent the fiap from tearing readily. For cooperating with this eyelet I provide a stud member which is formed from a single continuous strip of metal, preferably of a substantially uniform width,which strip of metal is divided into lengths and the two ends doubled back upon themselves, as at c, Fig. 2, leaving a fiat base C. The two ends after being doubled back upon themselves at c are then extended upwardly in slightly-diverging lines, as at D, and their extremities bent in toward each other and downwardly, so as to approach close together or touch at a point preferably in proximity to the base portion C. The effect of this construction is to form an upwardly-extending projection which is somewhat larger at the top than at the base, and the parts are so proportioned as that the enlarged portion will not pass through the eyelet with which it cooperates until a sufficient pressure is exerted upon the eyelet to cause the two sections of the projection to spring slightly toward each other. This spring action takes place in the preferred construction illustrated partly in the base C and partly in the sections of the projection itself, and the two extremities of the strip, approaching as they do, will contact with each other and in the preferredconstruction will also contact with the base when excessive inward movement takes place, so as to arrest their movement and prevent a sufficient movement to cause a setting of the metal, which would impair the efficiency of the device. Where desired, the two extremities of the strip may be coiled back upon themselves, as indicated in Fig. 3, in which instance when they contact there will be a rolling action between them and a somewhat greater degree of elasticity will be permitted than in the construction first described, and the device in this instance presents a somewhat more tasty appearance. So, too, if it is desired, the upwardly-extending projection or sections of the projection may be rounded on their outer surfaces, as illustrated in Fig. 5, to conform approximately to the circumference of the inner diameter of the eyelet with which it cooperates. This construction permits of the use of a somewhat smaller eyelet than where the edges of the projections are left square, as in Fig. l.

The base 0 and the projecting ends of the device are secured between two thicknesses of the paper forming the seam of the envelop, and if desired an additional strengthening-piece may be placed over said base around the upwardly-extending projections, and the said. upwardly-extending projections are passed through the overlying thickness of the envelop, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the several thicknesses of the envelop being then pasted together to hold the device in place and in position to cooperate with the eyelet carried by the flap.

The device, being made of a single strip of metal of substantially uniform width, it will be seen, can be manufactured at an extremely slight cost and with the simplest kind of machinery, and in its application and use it will be found that not only does it present all the advantages of an extremely secure fastening which may be, when desired, readily unfastened, but at the same time it presents a maximum resistance to distortion by rough handling, such as sample envelops of this character are subjected to, especially in transmission through the mails.

Ilavin g thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an envelop having a flap provided with an eyelet, of a cooperatin g fastening device form ed of a strip of metal having its ends bent back upon themselves and thence upwardly and outwardly to form a headed projection, the extremities of said ends being bent toward each other, the body of said cooperating fastening device being secured to the body of the envelop in position to cooperate with the eyelet when the flap is closed; substantially as described.

In a fastening device, such as described, the combination with the eyelet adapted to be secured to the flap of an envelop or the equivalent, of a cooperating fastening device adapted to be secured to the body of the envelop or the equivalent, said cooperating fastening device being formed of a strip having its ends doubled back upon themselves to form a substantially flat base, said ends being thence bent upwardly on slightly-diverging lines to form a projection having an enlarged top and the extremities of said ends being bent downwardly and inwardly into proximity to each other to aiford mutual support in resisting inward deflection of the sections of the projection; substantially as described.

GEORGE E. ADAMS.

Vitnesses:

II. A. GODFREY, F. ADAMS. 

